Stockings: how do you do yours?

[FiddleFigs]

I never had Xmas stockings growing up, but always understood they usually contained a bit of choc, a satsuma, a couple of small presents (nothing too grand or costly) and a book. DH always had stockings and they were always rammed with presents (one of which was ££) then he also had presents from Father Xmas, parents etc. I feel like this is excessive. DH thinks my approach is mean.

How do you approach stockings? Am I being mean?

(In case it comes up: DD will be almost 3, and will get presents in addition to the stocking)

Hoola, know it's a bit off topic but do you mind if I ask how old your children are and if they are ok with receiving only stockings? Every year I read on here about competitive present giving and the debate of how much is enough! I think it's a great thing to take Christmas back to basics but I know I'd never be that brave!!!

Our kids' stockings aren't big, the rough rule is things that either cost 1.50 or less (whoopee cushion, slinky) or are useful/needed anyway (e.g. pens, coloured pencils, small book) or something they particularly enjoy in party bags (paper fans here), with satsuma and chocolate coins. Best fit more than one category like bath bubbles, hair slides. Stocking shopping is the best perk of being a parent :)

I'm glad to know I'm not being mean! She already has a stocking, which I made last year - it's bigger than a hockey sock, but smaller than a pillowcase. My plan is to fill it with a book or 2, some stickers (the fancy ones I never buy), a new set of crayons, a Dora doll, a Matchbox car, a dvd, some binoculars and a magnifying glass, a couple of tiny chocolate teddies and a satsuma.

If it was all my way, the stocking would be it from Father Xmas (she'll have pressies from us and the rest of the family too). But I know DH will struggle with this modest stocking, so will compromise with a bigger present from Father Xmas under the tree.

I meant to add: thank you for all the comments and suggestions!

I'm with you OP. Growing up our stockings (they were actually a pair of our Mums old knee length green woollen socks ) were filled with coins, satsumas, nuts and a few little presents i.e. "Stocking fillers"

We do the same with 3yo DS now too - minus granny's wool socks!

Our stockings are quite big, I made a bit of an error ordering but too late now.
DS (4) will get
Electric toothbrush (it's time for a decent one)
Character Bubble bath
Magic flannel
Lush bath putty
New bath toys (Dory and Nemo)
Chocolate coins/ Santa
Character socks
Character pants
Book or book set
DVD
Lego set (free in the Mail this week!)
A coveted small toy probably a Thunderbirds one if Santa is bringing Tracy Island (I think he will be)
Couple of other toys- I have some rescue bots figures stashed.
Wind up dinosaur
Soft toy peeping out of the top, this year the strawberry scented evil teddy from Toy Story.
All presents brought on Christmas morning are from Santa. Presents from friends etc arrive under the tree before Christmas morning and are from them.
We get him his Christmas Eve presents of new PJs and a signed hardback book.

We have sensible size stockings too, about the size of a welly sock.
I wrap the stocking fillers as it takes a bit longer to open them. Stockings always contain a drink and a snack that they can have immediately along with the usual things. My genius idea a few years ago was to include some tat (a festive snow globe, a festive hand puppet, a slinky & one other which I can't remember) let the DC play with it until we took the decorations down on 12th night, put them away with the decorations & then put them in the stocking again the following year. My 6yo & 4yo have already said that they must remember to ask for the snow globe again on their letter to Father Christmas as it is so much fun! My children are remarkably innocent &, when they said this the other day, I was very tempted to tell them the truth!

We have sensible size stockings too, about the size of a welly sock.
I wrap the stocking fillers as it takes a bit longer to open them. Stockings always contain a drink and a snack that they can have immediately along with the usual things. My genius idea a few years ago was to include some tat (a festive snow globe, a festive hand puppet, a slinky & one other which I can't remember) let the DC play with it until we took the decorations down on 12th night, put them away with the decorations & then put them in the stocking again the following year. My 6yo & 4yo have already said that they must remember to ask for the snow globe again on their letter to Father Christmas as it is so much fun! My children are remarkably innocent &, when they said this the other day, I was very tempted to tell them the truth!

We didn't have stockings growing up, instead we had one present at the end of the bed (which I now know was a ploy to keep us in bed longer)

I do stockings though Dd is 3 and so far I have

Magazine
Choc orange
Coins
Hair clips
Underwear
Soft toy - bing
Hairbrush
PP figures
Felt tip pens
Bubbles

Need more suggestions though as it's a fairly large stocking (didn't think that one through)

OP your stocking sounds perfect. We do small inexpensive things in the stocking - I try to keep it around £20 or below - but that doesn't have to mean tat, of course. I keep an eye out all year for things in sales and normally get each item for a pound or so, though often very reduced. January and summer sales are perfect for picking up small things like pretty hair clips and bobbles, or small soft toys - right at the end of the John Lewis and JoJoMamanBebe sales they often reduce things down a lot - I've got DD some glittery hair things which were £1 in the JL January sale, plus a mini JoJo bunny which they were reducing to 50p at the end of January!

Tiger, the sales at Dotcomgiftshop, Paperchase and Hawkins, and museum and National Trust shops are all also happy stocking filler hunting grounds for me.

I always put in - a satsuma, some chocolate coins, an apple, a magazine (with a toy on it), a pencil or crayons, some stickers, some hair things, a bath fizzer or similar, a bath toy (this year a light-up rubber duck), some bubbles, a small soft toy, and some novelty toys (this year including a wind-up dinosaur in an egg and some finger puppets from Tiger). I also put in a mini pack of biscuits or a cake for Christmas breakfast, and a couple of other eatable little chocolate or sweet things (this year a chocolate lollipop and a mini pack of jelly beans).

That seems fine to me - stockings for kids aren't supposed to be full of expensive stuff! Just little fun things! It would spoil the special purpose of the stocking if they had large or expensive items in there. The stockings were always the best bit of Christmas for me - nothing beats the joy as a child of finding a stocking full of interesting little fun things rustling on your toes at the end of your bed

Always a stretchy old tube sock, no fancy special Xmas stockings here! I always had a proper old sock when I was small and so we carried on the tradition. I love the way it goes from a sad old skinny sock to a gigantic knobbly monster sock full of odd shaped things!
There are always:
Choc coins
Pez sweets
Satsuma
Cuddly toy
Practical thing like pants or flannel
Little game or puzzle
Then additional small cheap toys and little fun things which I pick up all year.
Love stockings!

I used to have pillowcases as a child, which always came with a new soft toy on top, which I would wake up and bring into bed then fall asleep.

I buy bits and pieces whenever I see them and think DS will like them. I love making a stocking. It is as good as getting one!

I had no idea people put satsumas in stockings till I came on MN, it seems to be one of those well known things that has completely passed me by. Ours are about half a dozen small things, all wrapped, a mixture of sweets and small gifts. Never satsumas! Stockings go on the ends of beds for that exciting feeling of something heavy on top of the covers.

I intend to do DS's stocking the same way mine was done. I always had small presents inside my stocking - and that's small in size, not necessarily value! Although they were mostly inexpensive items. So I had chocolate coins, a couple of make up items (when old enough), small toys, hair clips, bath stuff etc. Just thinking about it now, most of the presents in my stocking were unwrapped - but some were, I guess these were the more expensive ones - they did feel more special.

I then had a pile of presents left next to the stocking - these were the ones that were too big to fit in my stocking (usually more expensive than stocking bits, but not always).

Under the tree there was a token gift from l mum and dad and family presents (knew they were from so I could thank them afterwards).

When we were DCs, we were allowed to put out any pair of socks or tights that belonged to us. They would get the fruit, while the sweets and book and anything else would be left alongside them.

DD has what is a relatively small stocking compared to many I see - roughly 12-15" tall and maybe 9" wide. Some years, things have spilled over onto the floor. Other years, it has just been lightly filled. I certainly don't see the need for piles and mountains of presents for the sake of it.

As happened when I was small, DD leaves hers in the sitting room when she goes to bed. Presents from everyone else other than Santa are under the tree (and labelled accordingly) for opening later in the day. Usually late afternoon, although it's as soon as you appear in the kitchen in DMIL's house.

We do a stocking (at the end of the bed), from santa. Last year it was full of tat, dd who was 3 had lost or wrecked it all before the day was out! This year we now have 3 kids and I've made the stocking of small gifts but better quality plus the obligatory choc money, satsuma and whole walnuts!

We do big presents from us!

My dcs stocking are made up of things to prolong them waking us up. A bit like a morning survival kit! They usually contain
*dvd
*magazine
*notebook and pen
*small toys, usually 2 blind packs of whatever they are collecting
*Naice juice cartons
*Some sort of breakfast type food, last year it was pop tarts, they love these cold.
*traditional coins and chocolate orange!

The idea is they are fed, watered and have a film to watch before getting us up! I appreciate this probably sounds neglectful

I like to put cheapish things in our stocking, like dvd, pjs, cd, small presents as i dont like tat. They also have their own tree in there room and santa will leave their main christmas present from him there (its not allways the main main present, but still a present,() but they cant open that till after stocking and breakfast.

They also have a potatoe in, if theve been naughty santa take a stocking gift and leaves a potatoe. My boys take it all in fun and its never used as a threat as ohh santa will just give you potatos so there allways amused by it. Last year we used them for christmas dinner
This year ic got them a spud gun to go with it.
We open stockings on my bed then i make us something to eat.

As a child, we left stockings at end of bed.

Our DCs would wake up in the middle of the night and start squabbling over stocking gifts, so we leave stockings at fireplace for DCs then they come downstairs (with us) to see if FC has been. He has, and will have filled stockings (choc money, socks, novelty toothbrushes, a book, tangerines, some money for their money boxes, small fun giftsplus one "big" present from their list next to it. (Don't see the point of writing to FC if he doesn't bring a present from their list!) The rest are from us.

My dc get some gifts from us that go under the tree about a week before - so they can see something there and have a think prod and feel about what they may be. I also like to add some drama " oooh he may not make - but you have something from us so dont worry"

I have stockings that are too big and buggers to fill, I don't sweat over the details of what must go in, its what ever is small - enough to fit in but enough to bulk out, I do usual satsuma, tubes of sweets, will add choc orange this year, and more sweet bulk....penny toys,a dn perhaps this year some Disney infinity figures, nice big bulky boxes..and will pique for whats down stairs,....stockings and all main gifts are from FC here.

jewellery sets from m and s and also monsoon are good fillers for girls ie little sets of several rings etc

I do things slightly differently, I just buy presents that I think dd will like and then split them into what goes into her sack (MIL bought it when dd was younger so we carried on using it) and under the tree, usually I've wrapped everything before I decide, although when she was younger and believed I always made sure there was a few items from her list in there, including one item she knew I wouldn't buy.

So I don't go out of my way to buy 'stocking items', I just prefer buying things I know she will like. I do put some chocolate in though.

Our dcs get a sack from Santa which includes:

Chocolate
Book
Dvd
Something crafty
Outfit to wear
Top trumps or similar
Small box of Lego
Lego minifigures/MLP blind bag
Flannel
Doll/figure
Toothbrush
Bubble bath
Novelty items like fake moustaches, cool pen, mini erasers
Little you'd like shopkins or hot wheels
Hair stuff

We started a new way of stockings last year, and the DC got a stocking and only one other present from us. They received presents from each other, grandparents, aunts, friends etc. But their present from us was a stocking and a gift (they each got ipad minis).

So I make the stockings quite nice. They're huge, I made this mistake when I bought them years ago, personalised. So they do take some filling! This year 8yo has

Play doh
Felt pens
Erasers
Notepad
Metallic markers
Coloured pritt sticks
Joke things like fake biscuits, nail through finger, bendy pencil etc
Kaleidoscope
Invisible ink spy set
Rearview spy glasses
Shrinkles
Stopwatch
Miniature animals in a tub
Paperbacks
Bath goodies

I still need to get some chocolates - I will wait until closer to Christmas when Lindt release theirs, or maybe just get a selection box

I might also get a hot chocolate sachet, now that I'm thinking of it, maybe with some marshmallows and a biscuit from hotel chocolat

We probably go a bit OTT with the kids stockings if I am honest. We all get a stocking though and open them in our bed with tea before going downstairs.

DC's - HUGE stockings
A book
A DVD
Acessorize or topman something
Socks
T-shirt/top
Rubber duck
Pens/Stationary
Bath stuff
Chocolate orange
Choc coins

DH is getting
Ales
Nuts
Chocolate
Book
Leather gloves

I have no idea but it always involves gin!